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House panel passes civil servants adjustment bill

Civil servants will be adjusted in the federal, provincial and local layers on the basis of seniority, their choice of affiliation with one of the three levels of government and their permanent address.

The State Affairs Committee (SAC) of Parliament on Sunday passed the bill on Government Staffer Adjustment Bill-2017 with provisions on staff adjustment to suit the country’s federal structure.

According to Dasharath Dhamala, under-secretary at the SAC, the employees can apply to work with one layer of government. “But the government will have to prioritise the choice of senior staffers and their permanent address,” he said.

If both husband and wife are in civil service, the government has to adjust them in the same location as far as possible, according to the bill.

Although employee unions had been demanding promotion before deployment to the provincial and local offices, the SAC did not heed the demand. But the bill gives them options on salary and benefits.

One can join provincial or local government service by agreeing to the salary and benefits provisioned by the provincial and local government services. The bill also offers voluntary retirement.

If anyone wants the existing salary and perks to remain, the request would also be granted. “If one is receiving salary as per the existing provision, he or she will be allowed to return to the federal government service after certain years of service at the provincial or local level and vice versa,” said Dhamala. The bill, however, prohibits legislation that will reduce the existing salaries and facilities for the government staffers.

Most of staffers are currently employed under the central government. With the country adopting the federal structure, civil servants are being readjusted.

If any staffer above 50 years wants to take voluntary retirement and has served for 20 years, his or her service period will be added by seven years with the pension for the added years paid at one go.

If anyone fails to reach the assigned office within 35 days, the government can seek clarification from them. The government will have the right to sack such officials by following the due procedure including further clarification on the basis of the Public Service Commission’s specific suggestion. The bill also allows the PAC to continue with recruitment exams which were said to be halted until the readjustment process was over.

For the bill to become law, Parliament has to pass it before the President approves it. The House committee plans to table the bill for parliamentary approval on Monday. “As there are many bills that need to be passed before the tenure of Legislature-Parliament expires on October 21, we hope the bill will be passed on Monday itself,” said SAC Chair Dil Bahadur Gharti.

Proposed provisions

If both husband and wife are in civil service, the government has to adjust them in the same location as far as possible

No promotion before deployment to the provincial and local offices

Voluntary retirement offered with up to 7 years addition in service

Possibility to return to the federal government service after certain years of service at the provincial or local level and vice versa

Anyone failing to reach the assigned office within 35 days may be removed

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